The Understanding
Without his being aware of it a smile tugged at his lips as he saw the little boy count out his coins with utmost care of a MNC accountant. As he saw Nakkusha walking up to her brother, Dutta folded his hands to his chest to watch the interaction between the brother and sister. He has seen them bickering and quarrelling many times and he felt that only time he could see the young girl of nineteen was when she was talking to her brother. Dutta realized that since the day of the wedding he had not see that effervescent happiness, the childish smile or that stubborn pout on her face which she had before. He recalled her prodding and poking in his matters trying to make him listen to her.
Saab, aurat ghanton rasoi mein jalti hai..tab jaake aisi karanjee banti hai..
Saab, aap aaj bhi piyo ge…
Saab, gilass aur dil ek jaise to nahi….
Saab, aapko pyar jatana nahi aata..
He was pulled out of his reverie by Sethji's loud vibrant voice- Main padai karke aajeyega.
Nakku- tu sach bol raha hai na..Padai kar raha hai?
Sethji-haan tai..tu jaa! main aata hai..tu jaa! Nakku looked at the twinkling eyes of her brother- aajana haan?
She kept looking back doubtfully at her brother's face but decided to let him study.
Dutta's eyes followed her out till she left the hall and was out of the house. Now a days his eyes seemed to store her every movement, every expression to his heart. He didn't even need to close his eyes to recall the tilt on her lips as she smiled or the small line on her forehead when she frowned.
He looked at his little brother in law who was looking sadly at the merge savings. He recalled another little boy looking at his small stash of little pennies put away to buy gifts for his sisters. He too had wanted to buy something beautiful for his tais and little roop. He had wanted to go to someone and ask help to get the most beautiful clothes and toys and jewelry for his three sisiters but he had no one- no father, no elder brother. But sethji had him, he had Dutta bhau.
Dutta took one step at a time as sethji looked at the small pile and broken pieces of his piggy bank with dismay. "Kya hua, Sethji? Padai ho gai teri?"
Sethji scrambled to his feet on hearing the deep dark voice,"Bhau? Wo..main..main..wo…padai..haan…wo.."
Dutta glared at him," Apni tai se jhoot bolta hai? Padai ka bahana banata hai?" Dutta raised his hand to to backhand him.
Sethji closed his eyes tightly expecting his cheeks to explode with a blow but instead he felt a soft ruffling of his hair. He opened his eyes in amazement as dutta ruffled his hair and chucked his chin laughing.
Sethji looked at him in wide eyed surprise-Bhau?
Dutta-bait. He indicated him to sit beside him on the steps with a nod. Sethji scooted down a little away from him. Dutta looked pointedly at the broken earthen pot pieces – rakhshabandhan ke liye tai ke liye tofha lena hai? Sethji-waich to bhau! Sethji ki tai..kya bole to sethji ki tai ko gift dene ka hai…Pann kismet dekho is pathele gulak jaise ..apna luck bhi phool gaila hai..wahan Mumbai mein na….aapan ko tai ke liye gefat lene ka hota tha naa..apan pakyya aur footya ke saath koi bada haath maarta tha…aur mast chuddi wagera leke aata tha….pann ye sharafat ki life ne to apna pura reputation ka vaat laga diya hai..kya bolega main abhi!
Sethji realized he has gone to far and bit his tongue. Dutta bit a uncontrollable smile at his antics. Dutta cleared his voice- sharafat se padai karke bada aadmi banke…tu agar apni tai ko gift dega to tai ko jayada khushi hogi…tere bade haath maar ke laye huye tofho se bhi jayada.
Sethji- paann, bhau..wo to main jab bada hoyega tab karega na ab..rakhi to kal hai..kal kya karega apan…sabko jab unke bhai log tofha dega aur main kuch nahi dega tab meri tai ka muh itusa ho jayega maloom?Sethiji brought his fingers closer to show him the size of small penny.
Dutta- aa..haan wo to hai! Tu aapni tai ko accha gift dena chahta hai? Sethji nodded glumly looking at his savings. Dutta leaned towards him- main tujhe teri tai ke liye gift deta hoon. Par ek shart hai?
Sethji jumped up excited- kya shart bhau? Apan ko sab manjoor hai.
Dutta smiled at him- tu kabhi koi bada haath nahi maarega…aur hamesha padai karega taaki aapni aai aur tai dono ka naam roshan kar sake…aur kabhi jhoot nahi bolega..theek hai?
Sethji frowned at Dutta scratching his head- pann bhau ye to teen shart huyi aapni mandovli to ek shart ke thi? Dutta narrowed his eyes at him making sethji nodded his head readily repeating eagerly-bada haath nakku..padai aur kabhi jhoot nahi..ho jayega bhau..tension nai lene ka..sethji jabaan deta hai..
He offered his hand to dutta for a hand shake.
Dutta looked pointedly at the small soft hand and smiled and took it in his large hard callused hand pressing it softly. He got up and looked at the broken gulak-isse saaf kar aur jaake soja teri tai tere liye intezaar kar rahi hogi..tu jab tak nahi jayega..Dutta paused and looked back at the door where he had seen her last tonight walking out after talking to her brother and continued- jab tak tu nahi jayega wo nahi soyegi..jaa.
Sethji nodded and began picking up the pieces. He stopped midway and called out to Dutta- Bhau? Duta turned back and wordlessly asked him what the matter was. Sethji licked his lips and continued- bhau, aap anna se meri tai ko bacchaye ..thank bolene ka hai! Aap meri tai ka hamesha aise khayal rakhega naa?
Dutta looked at the pleading doubtful eyes of the small child and felt a hand grip his heart. He nodded at him and turned to go to his room.
Sethji was young yet he knew by the age-old bond between male of species that Dutta had just vowed to protect his tai forever. He happily hummed a tune and started clearing out the mess glad at the knowledge that his bhau will now take care of everything.
Anupamaa
Bengali Shows
Shiv Shakti
